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Maui is considered the most diverse of all Hawaiian Islands;
having 10 out of the 13 known ecosystems.
Are you interested in adventure? The enormous dormant volcano,
Haleakala, which dominates the center of the island is home
to "Upcountry Maui" whose serene meadows and country
roads around the crater are wonderful areas for hiking, biking
and horseback riding.
Do you want to hit the town? Maui's main town, Lahaina, is
a lively oceanfront village with exotic restaurants, bars,
shops and art galleries that stay open late at night.
Are you a sports enthusiast? Maui is home to a number of
challenging and spectacular golf courses, the world's best
windsurfing spot, America's best wall dive at Molokini Crater,
as well as tennis facilities, unsurpassed white sandy beaches
to swim and snorkel from as well as a host of other adventures
to keep even the hardiest outdoors lover satisfied.
Maui combines world-class resorts with scenic small towns
like no other island. West Maui (Lahaina,
Ka'anapali and Kapalua) is known for its beaches, golf and
lively lifestyle. South Maui (Wailea, Kihei
and Makena) is known for its weather, golf, and its quiet
relaxed lifestyle.
East Maui is the most secluded area and
best known for the tiny Hana town where you can witness the
unspoiled lifestyle of last century's Hawaii. Many visitors
endure the 3 - 4 hour drive to Hana and beyond to visit "O'heo
Gulch" in Haleakala National Park, which is more commonly
known as the "Seven Sacred Pools." While the name
evokes visions of a romantic destination, and the falls will
no doubt not disappoint, the reality is they aren't sacred
and there are more than 7 of them. Should you plan a day to
Hana, we recommend spending the entire day devoted to your
journey there and back.
Maui also known as the "Valley Isle"
is the 2nd largest island in the Hawaiian chain, with over
700 square miles of breathtaking scenery and coastline. The
island of Maui was actually formed by two separate volcanoes,
one being Mt. Haleakala which is the worlds largest dormant
volcano. Haleakala rises to over 10,000 feet with sloping
hills and wind swept terrain. The second of Maui's volcanoes
is Pu'u Kukui, which is located on the west side of the island
and receives over 400 inches of rainfall annually
The main airport is in Kahului at the center
of Maui. There is also a smaller airport in Kapalua (West
Maui), and a commuter airport in Hana.
Haleakala - 1 hour 45 minutes
Hana - 2 hours 30 minutes
Ka'anapali - 50 minutes
Kihei - 20 minutes
Lahaina - 45 minutes
Wailea - 35 minutes
Wailuku - 10 minutes
The population of Maui is over 120,000 full-time
residents (in 1998) with roughly 35,000 more part-time residents/visitors
on average. Hawaii is 6 hours behind East Coast time during
the summer and 5 hours behind during the winter. The state
of Hawaii does not participate in Daylight Savings Time.
Whale Season is during the months of December
through April. Giant Humpback whales come to Maui's warm shallow
waters to frolic, mate and bear their young. Many companies
offer whale watching trips during this time. Maui has a whale
sanctuary zone designated during this time in which strict
rules must be followed so as not to impede the natural mating
and birthing activities of the whales.
In the last few years, Maui has become the most popular
honeymoon island, offering couples warm tropical
evenings filled with aroma of plumeria, pristine white-sand
beaches, sparkling waterfalls that invite for a swim and romantic
sunset sails.
Maui has been voted "Best Island in the World"
by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler magazine for
twelve consecutive years and "World's Best Island"
by the readers of Travel & Leisure magazine for five years.
Maui is approximately 48 miles long and 26 miles across at
its widest point, totaling 728 square miles and is the 2nd
largest of the Hawaiian Islands.
The world's largest dormant volcano of Haleakala (Hawaiian
translation: "House of the Sun") dominates the island's
landscape. The upcountry meadows and roads falling away from
the crater are a favorite area for hiking, biking and horseback
riding.
The world's steepest paved road is on Maui, the vertical
gain of over 10,000 feet from sea level in Pa'ia to the summit
of Haleakala is achieved in only 38 miles.
Maui has over 80 beaches and offers more miles of swimmable
beaches than any other Hawaiian Island.
Maui has the 2nd highest waterfall in the United States.
Maui is home to a dozen championship golf courses designed
by the likes of Nicklaus, Palmer, Jones and Norman. Maui also
hosts 3 major PGA golf tournaments a year:
- Mercedes Championship at Kapalua
- Wendy's Champions Skins Game at Wailea
- Senior PGA EMC Ka'anapali Classic
The Maui Invitational is the most prestigious pre-season
NCAA basketball tournament in the U.S. and is held every November
in the Lahaina Civic Center.
Maui hosts the Hula Bowl, a college football all-star game
held in January.
Three of the world's most grueling races are held on Maui.
Nissan's Xterra Race is featured every year over the rough
terrain of Maui and is the equivalent of an "off-road"
triathlon. "Run to the Sun" and "Cycle to the
Sun" utilizes the 38 mile road to the summit of Haleakala
as its brutal and demanding course.
Maui is considered the windsurfing capital of the world and
hosts the World Championships every year at Ho'okipa Park
in Ku'au.
Maui boasts some wonderful SCUBA diving locations, most of
which are accessible right off the beach with the best shore
dives off the South and West sides. Molokini Crater, located
a little over 2 miles off the Makena Coast, is generally considered
the best wall-dive in America.
The average year round temperature is 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Average water temperature year round is upper 70's to low
80's.
South Maui is the perfect area on Maui for
sun-seekers. Sunny and dry even when the rest of the island
may be cloudy or rainy, South Maui with the resort towns of
Kihei, Wailea and Makena is warm in the winter and a bit warmer
in the summer with fairly constant tropical breezes.
East Maui is considered part of the windward
side of the island and sees a steady stream of rainfall. The
famous little town of Hana is located in East Maui and the
prevailing rainfall contributes to the overabundance of waterfalls
and lush rainforest.
West Maui which is comprised of Lahaina,
Ka'anapali, Napili and Kapalua gets a little more wind and
rain than South Maui, which is protected by the 10,000' Haleakala
volcano. |
